Automobile bumper



Sept 15, 1925.

c. GHRL AUTOMOBILE UMFER File-.d' Jan 16 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 15,1925. 1,554,000

c. GIRL AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Jan. 16. L922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedSept. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,554,000 PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN GIRL, OF KALAM'AZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE C. G. SPRING &BUMIER COMPANY, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER.

Application filed January 15, 1922. Serial No. 529,653.

I citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county ofKalamazoo and 1 State of Michigan, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Automobile Bumpers, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference bemg had to theaccompanying drawings,

This invention relates to automobile bumpers and has for its generalobject to provide a bumper of this character which will perform in aneflicient manner all of the functions and duties required of such-bumpers.- More'limitedly, the object of the invention is to provide anefiicient form of bumper having a widened front or impact section;.also, to provide a bumper of this character with a protecting metallicnet work, which not work may further be conveniently applied to andremoved from the cooperating parts of the bumper. The foregoing objects,and others which will be referred to in detail hereinafter, will berealized in and through the construction and arrangement of the partsshown in the drawings forming part hereof, wherein Fig. 1 represents aplan view of a bumper embodying my invention, indicating the manner inwhich the same is supported from the side members of an automobile; Fig.2, a

front elevation of the bumper shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 details insection corresponding respectively to the lines 3-3 and 4- of Fig. 2;and Fig. 5 a detail in section:

showing the manner of fastening the screen frames to the bumper; Figs. 6and 7 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, showing amodification of my invention; and Fig. 8 a detail in sectioncorresponding to the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Describing by reference characters the ivarious parts illustrated, andwith particular reference to Figs. 1-5 inclusive, 1, 1 denote a pair offront or impact bars, the same being referably of round rod constructionand being'parallel to each other throughout their length and extendingsub- .stantially the fulllength of the bumper.

At their end portions, the rods are curved sharply rearwardly, as shownat 2, and each is rovided at its extreme ends with eyes 3.

ooperating with the bars 1, 1, is a rear 7 bar, the same beingpreferably a flat spring plate. This rear bar comprises a centralportion 4 which is bent forwardly into vertical alignment with thecentral portions responding portions of the front bars or rods, andcurved end portions 6 interposed between and conforming to the curvatureof the end portions 2 of the front bar, whereby the end portions of allthree bars are in the same curvilinear plane at each end of the bumper.Each of the extreme ends of the rear bar or plate is provided with aneye 7. This manner of constructing the ends of the rear bar not onlycontributes to the sightly appearance of the bumper, but provides at theextreme ends'thereof impact receiving portions comprising all three ofthe bars.

The eyes 3 and 7 at each ,end of the bumper are connected by a bolt 8,spacing sleeves 9 being interposed between the eye on the central plate6 and the eyes 3 on the rods 2. 4

For the purpose of securing the central portion4 of the rear bar to thecorresponding portions of the front bar, clamps such as shown in detailin Fig. 3 may be employed. Thisclamp comprises an upper.

member 10 and a lower member 10, each having a rounded recessed seat10", .10, therein, respectively, for engagement with the upper andlowersurfaces of the upper and lower bars 1, respectively. In addition, the'clainp comprises an upper and a lower intermediate sleeve member 11,11*, each provided at its opposite ends with a rounded recessed seat,indicated at 11 and 11 in the member 11 and at 11 and 11' in the member11, the seats 11 and 11 cosecuring the various members together upon sthe bars 1, l and 4. The bumper will be connected to the vehicle sideframes in any convenient manner, as by means of arms,

indicated conventionally at 14 in Fig. 1.

The front or impact portion of the bumper is provided with a detachablenet work. This net work consists of two rectangplar frames 15, each of alengthto extend om the central portion of the bumper. as far asthecurved ends 2 of'the front. bars thereof and each being ofa width topermit its upper and lower frame members to be conveniently securedtothe rods 2.. Each rectangular frame is conveniently formed of round rodstock to which a heavy wire netting 16, preferably of spring steel, issecured, and the frames are convenientlysecured to the rods 1, 1, bymeans of'clips or clevises each comprising a U-bolt 17 extending aroundthe being the reverse of that shown in Fig. 5.

In Figs 6, 7 and 8, there is shown a modification of my inventionwherein the bumper comprises a pair of round rods 1, 1, similar to thecorrespondingrod in Figs. 1-5. The outer ends of the rods 1 are shown asonly slightly curved, as indicated at 2*, instead of being sharplycurved, as in the preceding form of myinvention. The rear bar in thiscase is also a fiat spring plate having a forwardly curved centralportion interposed between the central portions of the rods .1, anintermediate portion 5 oneach side of the central portion andsubstantially parallel with the corresponding portions of thefront rods1, 1, and end portions 6 extending nearly parallel with the end portions2.' The end portions 6 are provided with eyes 7 registering with theeyes 3 on the front bars. The ends and the central portions ,of thefront and rear bars are connected inthe same manner as is the case withthe construction shown in the preceding views, and'like numerals areemployed to indicate these corresponding parts. In

the construction shown in Figs. 6-8, the

heavy wire netting is applied directly to the bars 1, as indicated in Fig. 8.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A bumper comprising an upper and a lower impact bar of round stockhaving their ends substantially parallel to each other and anintermediate rear bar of .ba'r having their ends substantially paralleland the other section comprising a bar havingJi'ts ends interposedbetween theends of the first mentioned bars, the bar or bars of one ofsaid sections being of round stock and the bar or bars of the othersection being of flat material having its greatest dimension in avertical plane, and means connecting the ends of said sections.

A bumper comprising an upper and a lower bar of round stock extendingsubstantially the length of the bumper and each having its ends curvedrearwardly and'provided each with an eye, a rear-bar comprising a platehaving its central portion projected toward the central portions ofthe'said front bars and having extended end portions inserted between theends of the first mentioned bars and curved to correspond in contourwith the corresponding end portions of the upper and lower bars, the endportions of the bars at each end of the bumper being in substantiallythe same curvilinear plane, each end of the rear bar being provided withan eye, and bolts connecting the eyes at opposite ends of the "the endportions of the bars at each end of the bumper being in substantiallythe same curvilinear plane, and means connecting the ends of the bars atopposite ends of the bumper.

5.. A bumper comprising an upper and a lower impact bar arranged insubstantially the same vertical plane, a net work, and

means detachably securing the said net work to said bars.

6. A bumper comprising an upper and a lower impact bar arranged insubstantially the same vertical plane, a network, a frame supporting thesame and comprising upper and lower bars adapted to bear against theupper and lower bars of said bumper, and means. detachably connectingthe bars of said frame to the bumper bars.

7. A bumper comprising an upper and a lower impact bar arranged insubstantially the same vertical plane, a net work, a frame supportingthe same, and means detachably securing said frame to said bars.

8. A bumper comprising an upper and a lower impact bar, 'a pair offrames, a net work carried by each frame, and means for securing eachframe to said impact bars of the latter.

9. A bumper comprising a pair of front or impact bars, and a net worksecured to said bars on each side of the central portion thereof andbetween such portion and an end of the bumper.

10. In a bumper, the combination of upper and lower impact bars, a framehaving upper and lower members adapted to bear against the upper andlower impact bars, respectively, a .net work carried by said frame, andU-bolts extending about each impact bar and the frame membercorresponding thereto, the upper legs of the upper U-bolts being bentdownwardly and the lower legs of the lower U-bolts being bent upwardly,and cross plates cooperating with the legs of each U-bolt and with theinner surface of the cooperating impact bar.

ll. In a bumper, the combination of upper andlower impact bars arrangedin substantially the same vertical plane, a frame having upper and lowermembers adapted to bear against the upper and lower impact bars,respectively, a net work carried by said fran'ie, and a U-boltextending, about each impact bar and the framemember correspondingthereto. L

12. A bumper comprising an upper and a lower impact bar, a panof frames,21'

network supported by each frame, and clips detachably securing each ofsaid frames to said impact bars. 13. A bumper comprising an upper andlower bar extending substantially the length of the bumper ind eachhaving its ends curved rearwardly fa rear bar having extended endportions inserted between the ends of the first mentioned bars andcurved to correspondyin contour with the corresponding end portions ofthe upper and lower bars, the end portions of the bars at each end ofthe bumper'being in substantially the'same curvilinear plane, and meansconnecting the ends of the bars 'at opposite ends of the bumper.

In testimony whereof I hereunto" afiix my signature.

- CHRISTIAN GIRL.

